Voted BEST TEQUILA COCKTAILS IN AMERICA by Restaurant Hospitality Magazine in 2014, 2015 and 2016

WINNER 2016

CALIFORNIA MULE

Category: Tequila/Mescal

Restaurant: Olamendi’s Mexican Cuisine, Dana Point, CA

Creator: Jorge (George) Olamendi III

Inspiration: Swing and Frank Sinatra rat pack music and the classic cocktail culture of the ’40s and ’50s.

Key Ingredients: Ginger-infused Olamendi’s Organic Tequila Plata, Olamendi’s Cerveza California Lager and lime, served in a salt-rimmed glass and garnished with a blackberry and sprig of thyme.

What the Judges Said: This drink is brighter and more refreshing than the classic Moscow Mule — vodka, lime and ginger beer — it’s based on. Olamendi 's infused tequila with ginger, leaving the way open for him to use a clean, crisp lager that makes this a perfect drink for a sunny day in California

WINNER 2015

OLAMENDI'S ORO

Category: Tequila/Mescal

Restaurant: Olamendi’s Mexican Cuisine, Dana Point, CA

Creator: Jorge (George) Olamendi III

Inspiration: “The centuries-old, worldwide culture of creating spirits and drinking unique cocktails and wanting to be a significant part of this great tradition was my inspiration.”

What the Judges Said: "So you think you take your cocktail program seriously? You’ve got nothing on the Olamendi family. First they make their own tequila; world-class tequila using organic Weber’s blue agave that’s aged for five years in white oak barrels. They also work with the oldest cognac house in France to create their own brand of cognac liqueur. Who does that? There’s so much care taken in the creation of this cocktail, little things like the addition of lychees in their mix. After the first sip of this cocktail, you know you’ll be back again for another, and next time you’ll be better dressed because the Olamendis deserve your respect."

WINNER 2014

Hibiscus Margarita

Category: Tequila/Mescal

Restaurant: Olamendi’s Mexican Cuisine, Dana Point, CA

Creator: Jorge (George) Olamendi III

Inspiration: A passion for my family, proper tequila and the classic song:

Malaguena Salerosa.

What the Judges Said: “This family restaurant has not only stood the test of time (opened in 1973), it also gave birth to its own premium organic-brand tequila. This cocktail honors the quality of that tequila with a bit of sweetness from the hibiscus and orange juice, while balancing it with spicy serrano.